Page 16 of Steal Me (Rebel Hearts Heists 1)
Chapter 8
A bit of Truth
Blaine
Sloane’s jade green eyes are closed, her expression relaxed but her body a bit tense as she tries to get some rest on our way out of the downtown LA area. We traded into a black Cadillac SUV and decided that our best course of action is to get out of town for a bit, at least until we can figure out what the fuck is going on.
My brain is still trying to wrap around what exactly happened because call me fucking crazy, but that didn’t seem like a normal FBI house call, if there even is such a thing. The true fear in Sloane’s eyes and her panicked response at the FBI agent’s knowledge of her, made me instantly protective, a feeling that I’ve already been experiencing an awful lot since we took Sloane yesterday. River refused to let go of her until we got into the car and then, like the crazy bastard he is, he tried to get as far away from her as possible, moving to the back of the SUV. Sloane barely noticed that because I told her to get some sleep while Kaden drives and Royce gives him directions.
My brother looks back at me in the rearview mirror and then back down to her, his brows furrowing slightly before he runs a hand through his dark hair. If there’s one thing that’s important to Royce it’s loyalty. I mean, that’s important to me as well, but he takes it to a whole new level. Sloane has essentially taken a bullet for him by trading herself in and I can see him wrestling with the implications. I know he’s overcomplicating things in his head.
To me? It isn’t that fucking complicated.
I like Sloane. I don’t know much about her but I want to know more. She has this energy to her that I can’t help but be attracted to and despite the fear I can see in her, I can also feel her inner strength. She’s full of secrets and pain but strong. I want to explore her and figure out what exactly makes her tick. Kaden looks back in the mirror at her sleeping form against my shoulder as he focuses back on driving.
“We’re stopping for gas before we get on the highway, unless you think we should trade cars again?” Kaden says over the music playing in the background.
Royce meets my gaze and sighs. “We can change at the stop after this one, let’s just try to get out of California as soon as fucking possible.”
After another ten minutes of driving, we pull into a highway stop and Kaden gets out to fill up the tank with gas. River heads toward the convenience store without a word, looking stressed out and not like his usual self at all. The minute we’re alone, Royce speaks.
“I don’t know what the fuck we’re doing Blaine,” he mutters.
“We’re on the run from the FBI after committing a bank robbery with what seems like a fugitive in tow, which we also kidnapped.” I state and then smile down at Sloane.“A cute fugitive.” Her lips tip up and she opens her eyes, letting me know that I was right about her being a light sleeper.
Royce clears his throat and looks at her. “Sloane, I want to talk about—”
“No need,” she says softly, twisting her hands.
“Why is the FBI after you?” My brother asks changing tactics slightly.
Her eyes widen and I can practically see her searching for an answer she deems believable. After a moment of silence, she says: “I’m running from someone pretty damn important and he has connections. FBI-like connections.”
“Why are you running?” I ask running her silky hair through my fingers as she leans into me.
She looks at both of us and then speaks with what I realize is nothing but pure honesty. “Because running is the only option to get away from him. Because I can’t stand the idea of being back with him, subject to his emotional abusive bullshit. Because … I don’t know what else to do at this point.” I can hear that there’s more than what she’s saying but I know enough. She’s running from the FBI because whoever abused her has connections with them. I believe her. I know that Royce will probably have doubts about the story but as I meet his gaze his jaw is locked and he looks more pissed than doubtful.
My brother has never been particularly protective, so seeing this side to him is interesting to say the least. I wrap an arm around Sloane as she relaxes against me a bit more, her soft, warm curves separated from my touch just by a layer of clothing.
“Well …” Royce clears his throat looking a bit awkward. “Thank you for that earlier …”
Her smile is a bit sad as she nods. “I wasn’t about to let you get shot over it.”
The door opens and River climbs back in, his eyes narrowing on my arm around Sloane before he mutters a curse and moves to the back. Sloane’s brows arch and I shrug. Before we can talk about it anymore, the car is started back up and we’re back on the road, knowing just a bit more about our little hostage.
One thing I know? I’ll be damned if the FBI gets their hands on her.
???
Sloane
I look at the brothers and I think they believe me. I think Kaden does too because I meet his eyes in the rearview mirror and he nods at me, the dark blue sparkling with protectiveness. I feel immediately guilty for letting them believe that Pierce and the FBI agent are two different men but a small part of me fears that if they caught wind that my abusive ex is actually an agent, they’d see the situation under an entirely different light.
If they knew that the cop who found us immediately is my ex, they’d probably consider me too much of a liability.
And aside from River probably insisting again that they should kill me, I think that they wouldn’t risk their freedom to put themselves in the middle of a ‘love quarrel’, like my parents called it once, when I told them that I wasn’t happy with Pierce.
That was just before he hit me and I ran; my family is as upper middle class as you can get, my mom is a high school teacher and my dad is a high school principal and I think that they were pleased that both Sasha and I had found rich suitors.
